APC Primary: How Two-Time Plateau Lawmaker Gagdi Lost PKK Ticket to New Entrant Dr.  John Tongshinen

Yakubu Busari

In a keenly contested All Progressives Congress (APC) for Pankshin , Kanke Kanam Federal  Constituency primary election, the former Plateau State House of Assembly Speaker, and two time Member ,Yusuf Adamu Gagdi has lost his bid for a third term  in the House of Representatives .

The outcome of the All Progressives Congress primary election for the Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam Federal Constituency seat after the failed consensus, the direct primary was adopted for the Saturday exercise .

The returning officer, Mr  Koshyap Yusuf Yaghi, who declared John Tongshinen as the winner after polling 29,968 votes to defeat Gagdi .

The retuning officer said Gagdi secured 5,849 of the  votes cast in three of the  LGAs that made up federal constituency .

Tongshinen’s victory marks a significant political development in the constituency, where Gagdi has represented the people since 2019 and currently serves as Chairman of the House Committee on Navy.

The outcome came despite earlier indications from Gagdi that he had received endorsement as a consensus candidate from key party stakeholders ahead of the primaries.

Party members, delegates, and supporters from Pankshin, Kanke, and Kanam local government areas participated in the exercise, which was conducted under the supervision of APC officials and members of the electoral committee.

Following his victory, Tongshinen is expected to emerge as the APC flag bearer for the Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam Federal Constituency seat in the 2027 general elections.

Before the primary election, Gagdi had embarked on extensive ward-to-ward consultations across the constituency, where he highlighted achievements recorded during his time in office, particularly in infrastructure, healthcare, education, empowerment, and employment initiatives.

The lawmaker had also defended his third-term ambition amid discussions surrounding zoning and power rotation within the constituency, maintaining that the Nigerian Constitution guarantees every qualified citizen the right to contest elective positions.

Political observers described the APC primary as one of the most closely monitored contests in Plateau State, considering Gagdi’s political influence and strong grassroots presence in the constituency.